Shannon Guess Richardson, 35, pleaded guilty on Dec. 10 in a Texarkana, Texas federal courtroom to sending ricin-laced letters to both NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg and US President Barack Obama.
Specifically, the former actress, a.k.a. Shannon Guess, whose acting credits include minor roles in TV�™s �œThe Walking Dead”, �œThe Vampire Diaries”, �œFranklin & Bash”, and the big screen�™s �œThe Blind Side”, pleaded guilty to the federal charge of possessing and producing a biological toxin, according to USA Today.
Under a plea deal, the Texas resident�™s prison term shouldn�™t exceed 18 years, according to her lawyer.
Richardson was arrested in June after authorities said she tried to implicate her ex-husband, Nathan Richardson, after he had filed for divorce.
Prosecutors in the case against Richardson said that while going through that divorce in May 2013, she mailed three letters originating from just outside Texarkana, and then �œwent to police and claimed that her husband had done it.”
Authorities became suspicious of the former actress after noting several inconsistencies in her statements, and even more so after discovering that she bought the necessary materials to produce ricin over the Internet.
Ricin is toxic and can cause respiratory failure if inhaled.
Court papers showed that the letter sent to President Obama read:
“What’s in this letter is nothing compared to what ive got in store for you mr president.”
Richardson has been married three times and is the mother of six sons, one of them born four months prematurely and weighing only two pounds while she was being held was in custody earlier this year.
Although Richardson could face life imprisonment for her federal charges, her attorney said that prosecutors in the case have already agreed to the 18 year cap plea deal.
Richard will be sentenced in federal court at an as of yet unscheduled hearing.
Richardson�™s attorney, Tonda Curry, said:
“Shannon is anxious to admit her role in ordering the components to make the ricin, her role in the letters that contained the ricin, and to tell the government who else was involved in those offenses.”
To date, there has been no mention of Richardson�™s motives in mailing the ricin, or who else she might implicate in her crimes. Examiner
ARA/ARA
Source: Press TV